Maryam Touzani's 'Calle Málaga' Wins Audience Awards at Venice, Denver, and Mar del Plata Festivals

Maryam Touzani's third feature film, 'Calle Málaga,' premiered in 2025, starring Carmen Maura as María Ángeles, an elderly woman in Tangier fighting to keep her home against her daughter's plans. The film, shot in Spanish in Morocco, explores themes of aging, desire, and attachment to place. It earned the Audience Award in the Official Section of the Venice Film Festival, with additional Audience Awards at the Denver Film Festival and the Mar del Plata International Film Festival, where it also won the Astor Piazzolla for Best Feature and Best Actress for Maura. Touzani, born in Tangier, drew inspiration from her grandmother's life and the Spanish community there, aiming to portray vibrant aging. The film is a co-production of Morocco, Spain, France, Germany, and Belgium, distributed by Caramel, with cinematography by Virginie Sourdej and music by Freya Arde. Supporting cast includes Marta Etura, Ahmed Boulane, María Alfonsa Rosso, La Imèn, and Miguel Garcés. Touzani's previous work, 'Adam' (2019) was Morocco's Oscar submission, and 'El caftán azul' (2022) became Morocco's most successful film globally, winning over 60 festival awards including the FIPRESCI at Cannes.